Ashes to Ashes: The Seventh Path of Pain
by Flash Goddess Odessa
Summary: Naruto/Avatar Crisis X-over. The course of history is changed when Pain discovers the true origin of ninjitsu. 3 years after the Gaang saved their world, can they stop this new threat from another? Drama / plot twists / characters galore
1. The False Mountain

*Intro Updated 01-19-09*

Hey guys, this is my first story so I hope you won't be too hard on me ^_^. I was inspired to make it after thinking about who would win in a battle between Toph and Gaara, which led me to consider the pros and cons of ninjutsu vs. bending arts. I hope what follows will be enjoyable for you ^_-

Just so you know, this story uses anything that happens in the Naruto Japanese manga up to the most recent chapter. As such, it contains** some spoilers.** You've been warned!

**Timeframe note:** In the Avatar world, this story occurs 3-4 years after the defeat of Fire Lord Ozai. In the Naruto world, the story picks up after Shippuuden 141 (when Sasuke forms Hawk after killing Uchiha Itachi.) It basically centers around the timeframe when Konoha is preparing for the attack by Pain, which never comes. Instead he finds out something which causes him to choose a different path.

Given the timeframe, at the start of this story these canon events are taking place: Most of the Konoha ninja are in the village trying to unlock the riddle of Pain. Naruto is off getting sage training with the frogs. Yamato, Anko, and Sai are on their "track Kabuto" mission. Team Gai is also out on a mission.

However, Sasuke has decided to not capture the 8-tails after a certain "event," which drives this story ^_^

This work is a crisis crossover that will reshape both worlds in its aftermath, as well as giving some insight into what may have happened to Aang and his friends after their oh-so-happy ending in Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Of course, I do not own Naruto or Avatar at all, and in fact I'm indebted to them for opening up my imagination and getting me to write again! Don't sue me ^_^

Any that's enough talking from me, please enjoy the first part of Ashes to Ashes: The Seventh Path of Pain

**Chapter 1: The False Mountain**

"Your loyal puppets have clipped their own strings, eh?"

"If only I had known their meeting would cause this much trouble... but there's still an opportunity to be had in all this."

"Oh? Do tell."

"This development will sow the seeds of chaos in the ninja world that I have dreamed of, giving us ample opportunity to capture the remaining tailed beasts."

"So you plan to catch Naruto by yourself, even with Nagato and Sasuke acting on their own?"

"Don't worry, Zetsu. The puppets think they are free, but they are still dancing along to my tune. Besides, the one who has joined them will never be defeated by Naruto's ultimate power."

"Is that so? So even the mighty Madara is afraid of the rasengan?"

"I wasn't referring to that pathetic excuse for a jutsu. I was talking about his ability to open people's hearts, which I'm afraid Nagato might yet be susceptible to. If he confronted Naruto directly I would be afraid of him wavering. The girl, however, will have no such qualms when it comes time to crush him."

"I'd like to see that! I'd better be off then, I don't want to miss out on my front row seat."

"Don't forget the popcorn."

– – – – – – –

Yamato, Anko and Sai glided quickly over the treetops on the latter's painted hawks come-to-life. The forest rushed underneath them in a blur, and Anko noted how similar the dense canopy was to that endless ocean from her past.

The ocean, Orochimaru, Kabuto...

"Anko, stay sharp," Yamato clipped. "I'm sorry too that we couldn't continue the hunt for Kabuto, but you know this mission takes precedence over everything!"

"Sorry," Anko said, snapping back to her senses. "Are we getting close?"

Yamato shielded his eyes against the harsh sun. "Yeah, it's straight ahead."

"Isn't this the border with the Wind Country?" Sai asked out. Looming in the distance were the mountains marking the border with the Fire Country's allies. "Is there really something important out here?"

Yamato pulled his bird closer to Sai's and gave him his patented no-nonsense death stare. "It's more than important. It's the location of a closely guarded seal that is more valuable than the tailed beasts, than our lives even. That seal is now, impossibly, breaking down. We can't let that happen." Sai recoiled in horror and decided he'd better fear his captain more than the mission, as usual.

"At any rate, Team Gai should be on a mission in this area as well," Anko pointed out. "We won't be all alone out here."

The hawks neared the first mountain in the range, which began to shimmer and flicker like a desert mirage. They were nearly 50 feet above and in front of the peak and getting closer.

"Be ready for anything," Yamato warned. "Whoever is breaking the seal must have been powerful enough to take out the squad of ANBU guardi..."

Suddenly a huge flash of light shot out of the peak of the mountain, sending shockwaves out in all directions.

"Shit! I'm losing my chakra control!" Sai yelled. "We're not gonna make it!"

The ninjas clutched their hawks as they shot forward with all their might. The chakra beasts started to flicker and lose their forms before bursting completely back into dark, sticky ink. As they fell towards the earth, they had time to see that the top half of the mountain had completely disappeared, and was instead replaced by a totally smooth plateau 100 yards in diameter. The edges of the mountain had also turned into a sheer cliff face.

Anko quickly decided that any admonishment on the use of forbidden jutsu would preferable to smashing against that cliff. "Hidden Shadow Snake Hands!" she called out, pointing her left hand skyward and her right hand toward her companions. Numerous green snakes shot, both catching Sai and Yamato around the waists, and creating an anchor with the top of the plateau. Anko shifted her weight and used her companions like a giant pendulum to swing them back up and over the top of the rim. All three landed unceremoniously on their bottoms

"Thanks, I, um, owe you one." Sai said, while trying not to freak out about the slimy snake wrapped around his taut, exposed belly. Yamato simply averted his eyes, not wanting to be reminded yet again of the techniques that came courtesy of Orochimaru.

"Just buy me some dango later if you really want to make me happy." With that, Anko retracted her snakes and stood up to brush herself off. By this time the light's intensity had receded, and in it's place the ninjas could see its source. A giant red gate stood in the center of the vanished mountain-top, its massive doors slowly opening and giving off a pale glow. Around it lay the broken bodies of the ANBU squad. Four smashed sealing pillars the shape of black obelisks were set in a square pattern around the gate.

"What's going on?" Sai exclaimed. "Wasn't there just a mountain here?"

Yamato recoiled in shock. "We're too late. Those sealing pillars formed a powerful barrier / genjutsu to keep that gate hidden. This is its true form. Now that it's broken..."

"Something's coming out!"

The gate had opened widely enough by that point for a person to get through, and no sooner had it when a group of four helmeted soldiers in black and red rushed out towards them. There faces were obscured by visors, and they bore no headbands.

"What exactly is that gate, Captain?" Sai asked, completely puzzled.

Before Yamato could answer, one of the soldiers leapt into the air and shot his hand forward, sending a rushing column of fire straight towards the trio. Anko rolled swiftly to the left, Yamato to the right. Sai, who had been standing in the middle, staggered backwards and fell straight off the edge of the plataeu. "Sai!" Anko called out.

"He'll be ok. Try not to get yourself burned to a crisp." No sooner had Yamato said that then several more shots of fire blasted towards them. Both ninjas took off running, Yamato at an angle towards the gate, and Anko around the rim of the cliff.

_I have to reseal that gate,_ Yamato thought. _But what is with these guys? They don't look like ninja, and they certainly aren't forming hand-seals to pull off those fire Jutsu._

Yamato looked over at Anko fighting with two of the soldiers who had caught up with her. The soldiers came at her with leg sweeps and jabs, each of which was accentuated by a burst of fire. Anko was desperately trying to form seals, but she was fully occupied in dodging her assailants. Suddenly, a group of ink jutsu mice pored over the rim and jumped at the soldiers. They crouched down at shot fire at them, but they exploded on contact and spattered like oil left to cook too long in a fire. The helmeted soldiers jumped back to avoid them and hesitated for a brief moment.

"Thanks Sai, now's my chance. Let's fight fire with fire." Anko quickly set her hands and fleshed out the Snake-Dragon-Rabbit-Tiger seals in rapid succession. "Fire Element: Dragon Flame Jutsu!" She pursed her lips, sending out a torrent of flame which reared it's head up as a great dragon. It considered its targets for a moment before hurtling down towards the two hapless soldiers.

_They aren't even trying to dodge,_ Anko noticed. _I've got them!_

Suddenly both soldiers bent at the knees with their hands up palm-up towards the fiery beast. In a single motion they split their hands in opposite directions, and the dragon cleaved in half, its flames harmlessly shooting off to their sides.

"What in the world?" Anko barely had to wonder how her attackers had dissolved her jutsu before they lunged at her. One went for a low sweep and took out her legs, while the other caught her in the gut with a jump kick which sent her plummeting off the edge.

– – – – – – – –

**That's chapter 1, thanks for reading all the way! Any comments would be greatly appreciated, even constructive criticism! I have the story planned out quite a bit, so if you're interested I will keep it up. Also, sorry that there's only a few nameless firebenders in this chapter, but chapter 2 will explore the Avatar world a bit, I promise!  
**


	2. The Paper Cloud

**Thanks for making it to chapter two ^_^ As usual, reviews are welcome!**

**Of course I don't own Naruto or Avatar, sadly :-(**

**Ashes to Ashes: The Seventh Path of Pain**

**Chapter 2: The Paper Cloud**

– – – – – –

_Three days earlier..._

Fire Lord Zuko and the head psychiatrist made their way quickly down the hallways of the mental health institution on Tranquility Island. These walls had become the home of his sister since her breakdown during their Agni Kai, her sanity seemingly lost forever. Until a week ago...

"What else has she been saying?" Zuko said to the tall man in the white doctor's coat. The Fire Lord watched his step as they passed through an airlock hatch. Every section of the facility could be quickly sealed off and drained of air temporarily, if needed, as a way to quickly subdue an out of control firebender. It gave him the slightly unsettling feeling of being back on his sterile flagship at the South Pole.

"Well, my lord," the psychiatrist began, "as you know from the weekly updates, her Highness hasn't uttered anything intelligible since she came here three years ago. She usually paced around on all fours like an anim..."

At this, Zuko shot a fierce look at the man. As much as he had despised her, he still couldn't bear to hear his sister being compared to a beast.

"Ah, please forgive me Lord Zuko," he said, averting his eyes. "Her Highness has been... unwell. However, last week she started sitting upright and talking very rapidly. It seemed like she was speaking to herself at first, but then it appeared that she was having a conversation with an invisible friend."

"That's supposed to be a sign of improvement?"

"Well, she did appear lucid, and although we couldn't make out what she was saying, we could hear her repeating one word over and over. Pain."

"Pain?" Zuko winced, thinking of all the pain she had helped their father cause in the world, that he himself had caused. "That's all?"

"Well then, of course yesterday her Highness told the guard that she urgently needed to speak with you, so the message was relayed immediately. Since that was her first time to directly address anybody, we thought it was important enough to tell you about." The psychiatrist stopped at a solid steel door flanked by two elite imperial guards. "Are you sure you are ready for this, my lord?"

"Just open the door, and stop questioning me unless you want to end up in there with her."

"Right away, my lord!"

The psychiatrist motioned to the guards, who each inserted a key into locks on opposites sides of the door. They turned the keys, and with a satisfying clicking sound the huge door rose up to recede into the ceiling. A blast of cold air hit Zuko, reminding him of the inside of an ice cavern, reminding him of his horrible shaming at the North Pole. _More unhappy memories_, he thought. _I hope this day doesn't get any worse_.

"My apologies," said one of the guards. "We usually don't keep her Highness' cell this cold, but we thought it was an important precaution with your Lordship present. Shall we accompany you inside?"

Zuko waved them off. "Thank you for your concern, but the Fire Lord can take care of himself." With that he stepped inside, adjusting his eyes to the darkness. Indeed it was a freezer inside, and the only light offered came from special lightbulbs set high up in the 30 foot ceiling. Zuko looked about the room and saw that it was round, then his eyes rested on an equally round cage occupying the center.

The Fire Lord's eyes misted over when he saw his sister, Azula. He could barely recognize her after these three years. She, who had prided herself on her appearance, looked ghostly under her thick hair which now fell the length of her body. Azula was wearing a simple red robe and sitting up in a chair facing the door. Zuko walked forward slowly and sat in a chair that had been placed for him outside the bars. He noticed that she was staring directly at him, and her eyes contained that familiar burning he had grown used to in the past.

"Sister," he began, "I'm glad to see that you're feeling better."

"Better?" Azula sounded a bit hoarse from the cold, but the icyness in her voice was all her own. "I'm not better yet Zuzu, but I will be quite soon. Have you enjoyed playing with Daddy's crown?"

Zuko eyed his fallen sibling, trying not to show the emotion bubbling underneath. "You call out to me after three years just to tease me? I knew it was too much to hope you had changed, to hope that you had finally come to understand what you did."

"Oh but Zuzu, I have changed." Azula gave a thin smile, her lips frosted blue from the cold. "I know exactly what I did wrong. I'm ready to apologize for everything."

Zuko could hardly believe his ears. Had his cold-hearted sister managed to thaw out in a freezer? "A-apologize?"

"Don't look so surprised dear brother. I'll even apologize to you first. I'm sorry... that I didn't teach you enough about pain."

The Fire Lord jumped out of his chair and grabbed the bars, knocking over his chair. "Pain! I think you and Father gave me enough of an education!"

"Hohoho." Azula chuckled. "It seems you're still my little Zuzu after all. I'm not talking about the petty games we played as children, though. I'm talking about real pain. A pain that grips you like a demon from hell and tears you apart from the inside-out."

Azula stood also and moved towards the bars, her face mere inches from her brother's.

"I've had agreed to help him, Fire Lord Zuko. When we're done you'll know the face of pain, and you'll be begging me to kill you. I promise."

Zuko took two steps backwards in shock. This was definitely the devilish enemy he had faced during the War, not the broken shell of a girl he had defeated in an Agni Kai. Still, what could she do from inside her cage?

"I don't understand, Azula. Who is this 'he' you are talking about? What is the face of pain beyond what you showed me nearly every day of my life?"

Azula smirked and stepped back directly into the center of the room. "He's already here, my Pain. I'd be careful of this next part if I were you, I wouldn't want you to die too soon."

Before Zuko could respond, the whole room began to shake. Suddenly, the entire top third of the high-roomed was ripped straight off, ceiling and all, and whisked up into the sky. He looked up to see a huge swirling tornado descending from a cloud directly overheard.

_What the hell? _Zuko thought. _Where did that come from?_

He lunged for the bars to avoid being swept up into the sky, and noticed that this was no ordinary tornado. It seemed to be made entirely of paper. He glanced up again to see that the cloud, also, was made completely of ever-shifting leafs of paper. _What kind of bending is this? How could Azula possibly... Azula!_

Zuko focused on the center of the room again just in time to Azula engulfed by the swirling stream of paper. The paper began to take hold of her and solidify behind her in the image of a woman with great wings spread out behind her. The woman was wearing a flowing black robe with red flowers on it, and a beautiful origami rose was in her hair.

"My name is Konan," said the woman, "and I have a message from God. He has decided to use your sister as an instrument to punish the sins of this world."

The wind had subsided when the paper-woman took shape, and Zuko jumped to his feet and crouched into a battle stance. "I don't know who you are, but we'll atone for own sins without this God of yours. My sister isn't done atoning by a long-shot, so I'll have to insist you let her go."

Zuko was still a little numb from the cold of the cell, by the absence of a ceiling had warmed him quite quickly. He swung his back foot around preparing to kick a stream of fire at the woman and set her ablaze, when suddenly an unseen force knocked him backwards and slammed him against the wall headfirst. Zuko thought he caught a brief glimpse of a man with orange hair and a pierced face wearing the same cloak as Konan's. He called out weakly to his sister as he started to lose consciousness.

"Even you, the mighty Fire Lord, are powerless in the face of God." Konan said. "You will see that soon enough." With that, Konan beat her massive angel wings and began lifting Azula towards the waiting cloud.

"Don't die yet Zuzu!" Azula yelled down. "I'll be waiting for you to beg!"

Zuko cried out for his sister one last time and passed out, briefly wondering what had happened to all of the guards. It was better for him to not know that they were all dead the moment he entered Azula's cell.

– – – – – –

The paper cloud ascended to join it's natural brethren in the sky, and within Konan led Azula to the center where her savior was waiting. An orange-haired man with piercings running through the bridge of his nose was sitting in a throne-like chair, waiting.

"So you really came for me." Azula said. "I have to admit I had my doubts."

"You should know better than to doubt God." Konan said, retracting her wings.

Azula rolled her eyes. "I'm not accepting you as a god, but I will accept what you offered me in our little 'chats' in my cell."

Pain simply stared at her for a moment with comment. Finally he spoke. "I knew you would. You, who truly understand pain. Together we will make sure every living being experiences it as deeply as we have."

"Sounds fun," Azula said with a twisted smile. "Let's not waste any time." _Wait for me Zuko. I'll become your nightmare again soon. That bitch Katara's too._

Konan handed Azula a robe similar to her own. "You should get changed, Azula. You want to look presentable for the first meeting with your soldiers."

Azula snatched the Akatsuki robe. "You will refer to me as Your Highness, whelp. I assume this floating scrap of tissue has a changing room?"

"Apologies, Your Highness."

Konan glowered and led Azula to her quarters and returned a few minutes later. Pain was sitting in the same spot and had hardly moved. She walked straight past him towards the wall, and the paper parted to let her through. She emerged in another chamber where a hideously thin figure sat in a six-legged chair.

"Are you sure we haven't made a mistake, Nagato?" she said.

"Don't worry, Konan, I know exactly how to use her pain. I can see the end of all suffering coming, and it will be a glorious future."

The paper cloud sailed on.

– – – – – –

**That's the end of chapter 2. I promise Anko will stop falling off that cliff in chapter 3! Also, chapter 3 will be quite action-packed ^_-.**


	3. The Smoldering Ashes

**Phew, Chapter 3 at last! This chapter is a bit longer than the others, but it does explain a tiny bit about what the heck is going on plotwise. Just a tiny bit though ^_-.**

**I'd really love some comments, though! If you like the story, please tell me so I'll be encouraged to keep writing it. If you don't like the story, please tell me so I can stop and do something else with my time. Hugs ^_^**

**As usual, I don't own Avatar or Naruto!**

**Ashes to Ashes: The Seventh Path of Pain**

**Chapter 3: The Smoldering Ashes**

_Two days before the False Mountain's revealing..._

Zuko awoke with a start and tried to sit up, only to feel a wave of nausea, and a splitting headache, overtake him. He laid back down and realized that he was in his plush bed in the capitol, not on the cold stone of the mental health facility. Had his meeting with Azula been a dream?

A warm, familiar hand grabbed Zuko's, the hand of his beautiful Fire Lady sitting on a chair next to his bed. "I'm so glad you're awake," Mai said, clutching him a bit too tightly for comfort. "You know if you had died on me I would have had to kill you."

The young Fire Lord allowed himself a chuckle. He was comforted by the thought that Mai was, after all, far more dangerous to him than Azula. "Thanks for the concern. How long have I been out?"

"Almost a full day." Mai said, handing him some water. "Here, drink this. You must be thirsty."

Zuko took a few sips and felt a bit of clarity coming back to him. "That wasn't a dream, was it?"

"I'm afraid not," Mai began, not looking directly at Zuko. "It's much much worse. Azula did indeed escape, and nearly everyone on the island was killed."

"What! How did that happen!"

"Two strange man with bright orange hair descended out of that paper cloud. One seemed to be ripping the souls straight out of people, and the other was some horrible monster with multiple arms that was tearing guards to shreds. I hear it was simply awful." Mai tried to fight back her tears, she didn't want to ruin her image at this stage. Besides, there was more terrible news to impart.

"Who could do such a thing," Zuko said, gripping his bedsheets and Mai's hand tightly. "I saw a woman... with angel wings. She said something about God's punishment, but what does that mean?"

"I don't know Zuko, but it gets worse. We're just now getting word that the newly established prison at Lake Laogai was attacked by the Ashes last week."

_Ashes..._ Zuko thought. After the fall of his father, the Phoenix King, Zuko had worked tirelessly those past three years to erase the hard feelings caused by the long war. However, the citizens of the Four Kingdoms couldn't simply forgive those who had committed the worst atrocities. Although Zuko had granted amnesty to all of the regular Fire Nation soldiers, someone had leaked a list of officers' identities to an Earth Kingdom group demanding retribution. Many of these officers had been responsible for giving orders in the falls of Omashu and Ba Sing Se that caused the deaths of many civilians. As such, a vigilante group of earthbenders started hunting down those named on the list for vengeance. These officers had felt they were being punished unfairly for simply carrying out the orders of the Fire Lord Ozai. It was rumored that they swore an oath to depose the weak leader Zuko, who could not protect them, and find some way to restore the iron-willed Ozai to his rightful throne. Even if it seemed a hopeless task, they needed something they could hang on to to keep their pride intact. These were the Ashes, who vowed to burn brightly again one day.

"Ashes..." Zuko said out loud, after chewing on the word in his mind. "Who did they take from Lake Laogai?" He already knew the answer, but he braced himself to hope.

Mai took a deep breath. "Xin Fu and Yu, the earthbender mercenaries who tried to capture Toph, and you at one point. Several of the more hardcore members of the Dai Li who still remained loyal to Azula. Also... former War Minister Qin."

Zuko sat up with a bolt again, this time disregarding the pain. "Great, the crazy mad scientist who invented that Drill and the Fire Nation Airships. But why now?" He was burning to know what was going on, but he also felt a burning fever sweeping over him.

The Fire Lady pushed Zuko back down into bed and gave him a stern look that dared him to try sitting up again. "Rumor has it that he knows of a secret location where several large airships are still in storage, but nobody has been able to find it." Mai said. "The generals are worried that the Ashes will try to meet up with Azula now that she's been freed by that weird cloud."

"This is my fault," Zuko said wearily. "If only we had done a better job of helping all those people integrate back into the world after the war. I feel like we've failed them, left them behind as another sacrifice for peace."

"Don't blame yourself, Zuko." Mai brushed stray locks of hair from her husband's face. "You can't make everyone let go of their hatred and pain."

"I don't get it though," said Zuko. "Even if there's no place for them in this world, where will they go? It's the only one we've got..." With that, Zuko fell asleep.

Mai stood up and set the stoic, impassive face that she would have to show to the rest of the world. "You just rest here darling, I intend to find out."

– – – – – – –

_Present Day, the battle at the False Mountain _

"Anko!!!" Yamato screamed, reeling with the double-shock of witnessing her fire jutsu cleaved in half like butter, and watching her be kicked off the sheer cliff face.

However, Yamato didn't have time to think about what happened to her, he had his hands full with the two strange enemies in front of him shooting fire with every punch and kick. He noticed that they attacked with forceful, frontward motions, as if channeling fire through their bodies. Although he couldn't see their faces through the skull-like masks they were wearing, he imagined their brows to be furrowed with deep concentration. _Well they obviously aren't ninja,_ he thought. _Maybe they'll fall for the oldest trick in the book._

Suddenly a large fireball struck Yamato from behind. The two ninja who had attacked Anko had already made their way over and caught him by surprise. Yamato began to be consumed by flames, when suddenly he disappeared in a cloud of smoke, replaced by a small log.

The four armored-clad attackers appeared puzzled for a moment, then turned formed a tight circle with their backs to each other in order to watch for a counter-attack.

Yamato's head poked up through the rocky ground 20 feet away. _They were caught off guard by the Replacement Jutsu, but they've already formed a perfect defense. Well, almost perfect anyway. They may not be making seals, but I wonder if they can use that fire without their arms or legs. _

The captain's body started rising up completely out of the ground, and he quickly forged his earth seals. He finished just as the warriors noticed him and began to turn towards him to renew their attack.

"Earth Element: Great Mud River!"

The ground beneath the warriors' feet lost its shape and turned into a deep pool of mud, sucking them in up to their necks. Yamato formed a final seal and the mud hardened, trapping them with only their heads sticking out. He cracked a smile and noted that they looked like fresh ripe watermelons waiting to be cracked open on a hot summer's day.

At that moment, one of Sai's hawks sailed up over the edge of the cliff, with Sai and Anko safely on its back. Sai had been able to catch Anko during her fall, as he had saved himself with the spare hawk he had conjured up. They made their way to Yamato and jumped off next to him.

"I'm glad you made it Anko," Yamato said. "It's good that we brought Sai along after all, eh?"

Sai thought about what he had read in his book, _Accepting Compliments Gracefully_. Aftering pondering for a moment he decided that an embarrassed smile would be the best reaction. "Thanks for the confidence, Captain Yamato."

Anko smiled weakly and clutched her stomach, still smarting from the jump kick delivered to her by one of the masked attackers. "Well, I'm more or less in one piece. But who are these guys, and what is that gate?"

Yamato glanced over at the enormous gate as it continued to creak open.

"I don't know what that thing is," Yamato said "but I can feel it in my blood that it spells trouble. The First Hokage's genes inside me are definitely reacting."

Yamato explained that guarding this gate was one of Anbu's top priorities, but he also knew that nobody was quite sure what its function was. The gate itself was rumored to be as old as the Land of Fire itself, and the 4 guarding pillars that created the powerful mountain illusion around it were worked from jutsus of unknown origin.

By this time the gate, which seemed to be at least 40 feet across, was already a quarter of the way open, the doors beginning to sweep outward across the perfectly smooth top of the false mountain. Despite that, the soft white light that emanated from it still made it impossible to see what lie beyond. "I think I can use the First's power to plug up this door, whatever it is. You two just keep guard while I prepare the jutsu... um guys?

Yamato looked away from the door and noticed his teammates were no longer standing next to him. As he had been talking, Sai and Anko had walked over to observe the 4 captured soldiers. Since their arrival they hadn't uttered a single word, and with their skull-shaped masks it was difficult to even tell if they were human underneath. Sai wasn't sure what to say to them, so he started with the standard etiquette he had been learning. Kneeling down one of the soldiers, he tried out his skills. "Um, it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Sai. What's your name?"

The masked warrior didn't reply.

Anko whipped out a kunai and Gently pushed Sai aside. She licked the edge of the blade and started inching it towards the skull mask. "Don't bother with pleasantries Sai," she said with a hint of bloodlust in her voice. "We'll just cut the answers out of him if we have to. For starters, I'll ask him how he managed to destroy my fire dragon."

When Sai looked over at Anko's face, he thought he staring at Orochimaru. Her face had contorted into a sick smile, as if she were about to relish torturing her captive. Sai had heard that she served time under Orochimaru's care, but he didn't think some of his sadistic tendencies had passed on to her. He wondered if the same thing had happened to Sasuke.

Before he could think about that, however, Yamato called out to the both of them. "Stop playing with the prisoners, you too, this is serious. Set up a formation around me so I can stop this gate, we can interrogate them later. They aren't going anywhere."

No sooner had those words escaped his mouth, than the earth around the four warriors shot up like a piston out of an engine and launched several feet in the air. Sai and Anko attempted to jump back, but before they could the rocky prisoner that had encased the men crumbled and shot out in all directions, pummeling the two ninjas at point-blank range. The two Konoha members were knocked out cold from the attack. The fire warriors, meanwhile, landed on their feet on either side of the hole they had been trapped in.

Yamato spun around to see three new people emerging from the gate: two tall man in green levitating rocks, and a woman wearing... an Akatsuki uniform!? Without warning the woman stretched one hand out toward Yamato, and with a crackling sound in the air a bolt of lightning shot out from her fingers and sliced straight through his left shoulder. The captain faltered and stumbled to the ground.

The woman grinned and brushed her hand off with the other and spoke to the men with her. "Ah it's been a while since I've gotten any exercise, this lot isn't much practice though. Hardly a warm-up for the kitty-cat boy that Pain told us about, eh Xin Fu, Yu?"

The younger looking man, Xin Fu, inclined his head. "I certainly hope this bounty goes better than the time we tried to capture that little blind rat."

The older man, Yu, stroked his braided chin hair thoughtfully. "Either way, it beats sitting in that cell in Lake Laogai. If we're lucky, we might just get a rematch against the brat anyway."

Yamato struggled to look up at the trio. He couldn't feel his left arm, there was no getting out of this one. He had to stall for time. Ignoring the two men he looked straight at the Akatsuki woman. He swore her data hadn't been included in Kabuto's files. "Pain? Who are you? What do you know about Pain?"

"My name is Azula, and these are my loyal firebenders, the Ashes. Well, the skull-looking ones, anyway. These two earthbenders are loyal to the bounty I've promised them. And judging from your headbands," Azula peered at the Konoha insignias adorning the ninjas' foreheads, "we're here to kill all of you, destroy your village, and drive a stake through the heart of your little friend Uzumaki Naruto. Doesn't that sound like a fun game?"

"Well it's not my definition of fun," Yamato started. Judging from his calculations, he only needed to stall for a bit longer. "but I do wonder if you could answer a question for me about your little 'game' before you roast me."

Azula glanced back at the gate behind her, now three quarters of the way open. "Fine, I'll humor you. We're stuck here until this gate opens anyway."

_What happens when this gate opens?_ Yamato wondered.

Azula snapped her fingers, and two of her Ashes walked forward and dragged Yamato to his feet, holding him up on either side. A searing pain shot through his shoulder where he had been stabbed with lightning. "Make it quick, I'm a busy woman."

Collecting his thoughts, Yamato stared directly in Azula's crazed eyes and asked his question. "question"

"answer"

Suddenly a small pinpoint of shadow flickered on Azula's face and began to grow larger. Yamato looked at the ground and noticed that dozens of shadows began to appear on the ground like the heralds of an approaching hailstorm. _Oh shit, I hope her aim is still good... _Yamato thought.

Everything happened in a split second. Azula noticed the approaching rain and jumped back between Xin Fu and Yu. The two seasoned earthbenders immediately crouched down and swung their hands in a half circle through the air, causing the earth around the spout up into a protective rock cocoon around the trio.

The four masked firebenders, however, were no so lucky. Suddenly a massive storm of kunai, shuriken, and axes showered down from the sky, coating the ground. All four Ashes were struck multiple times and crumpled to the ground, the two holding Yamato releasing their grip on the way. All the weapons striking Azula's rock barrier, however, bounced off harmlessly. Miraculously, none of the projectiles hit Yamato, or the crumpled forms of Anko and Sai.

_Thank god she's been practicing,_ Yamato thought with relief. He looked up to see the figure of Ten-Ten gracefully descending through the air, weapon scroll unfurled behind her. She landed on the ground in a crouching position, and behind her the rest of team Guy was assembled.

Gai and Lee were giving their usual thumbs-up and smile. Neji simply stood with his arms folded, surveying the strange scene before him with his Byakugan. "Great job Ten-Ten!" Gai flashed to her. "You finally hit something!"

"Um, thanks Gai-sensei, I guess." Ten-Ten said, furling up her giant scroll and setting it in the holster at her back.

"We're here to support you with the power of youth!" Lee gushed.

Neji snorted and concentrated on the rock barrier with his Byakugan, attempting to peer through it and see the chakra forms of the opponents underneath. However, his vision was obscured by the rock itself, which was glowing brightly with veins of chakra.

"There's something strange about the way these people handle chakra, just I thought on our approach Gai-sensei." Neji said. "I suggest you put your thumb down and get ready for anything. Even Sai, Anko, and Yamato were already defeated."

Gai didn't like being interrupted during his poses, but he knew better than to dismiss Neji's eyes. "Ok then, team Gai, let's show them what we're made of."

At this the rock barrier crumbled, and Azula glanced over at her four fallen warriors with a sigh. "Well, I guess this game wouldn't be any fun if it was too easy." Suddenly all movement on the plateau stopped, and she gave a smug grin on satisfaction. "I'll have to play with the lot of you later though. Like I said, I'm a busy girl."

From the opaque white light of the gate, a large black horn like that of a stag beetle sliced through. It grew larger and larger until white looked like a giant black zeppelin had passed through the gate. Another horn appeared, and another, until three giant floating ships had materialized above the pleateau. "My ride's here, let's go boys."

"All right!!!" Xin Fu yelled, jumping up and stomping both feet on the ground. A column of earth shot into the sky towards the lead zeppelin, carrying the three benders. Neji flinched, noticing again how something was odd about their chakra manipulation.

"You're not going anywhere!" Rock Lee cried out, running towards the ascending column.

"Lee you idiot stop!" Neji yelled, but there was no stopping Lee. Just before he reached the column, though, Yamato grabbed his leg and stopped his movement. "Wait," Yamato said, dragging himself up with an effort. "We'll have to do this together. Grab my left hand and hold it palm up so I can place it against the other." Lee did as he was told.

As Azula and her minions neared the air ship, Gai, Neji, and Ten-Ten caught up to where Yamato and Lee were standing. "Gai..." Yamato began with some effort, "take Anko and Sai and get out of here. I'm not as good at controlling this jutsu as the First was, so I'm not sure what will happen. It's our best chance to stop those airships and block this gate in one shot though."

Gai gave his serious face, for once. "Got it, Yamato. Good luck. Ten-ten with me, Neji and Lee support Yamato as long as you can." As soon as he said that, a ball of flame shot down from one of the airships towards the group.

"Absolute Heavenly Spin!" Neji started spinning at blazing speed, generating a field of chakra which repelled the fireball. Neji came to a stop but didn't break his pose. "I understand."

Ten-Ten and Gai grabbed their fallen mates and began heading to the edge of the plateau. Yamato closed his eyes and began focusing his chakra through his hands, one arm still supported by Rock Lee. Lee started to hear cracking sounds and looked at the ground around him to find fresh tree roots beginning to creep up out of the barren earth.

_Please give me the strength to control this, just this once._ Yamato thought.

Azula's pillar rock finished its ascent to her airship, and as she leaped on board she took a look down to see the plateau below covered in the beginnings of fresh saplings. "An attack with botany?" the former Fire Princess sneeered. "You've _got_ to be kidding me. Let's fly on out of here boys."

Neji glanced over at Yamato and was almost blinded by the huge amount of chakra that started lighting up his paths like Christmas lights. _I hope you know what you're doing, _he thought.

Just as the airships started their ascent away from the plateau, Yamato let out a mighty cry. "Please bless this jutsu, First Hokage Hashirama Senju!

"Wood Element Secret Sealing: Birth of the Life Tree Yggdrasil!" The plataeu gave a mighty groan like a dying animal, and a rush of huge tree trunks began to burst and snake upwards into the clear blue sky.

– – – – – – –

The paper cloud drifted lazily through the overcast sky, blending in seamlessly if not for the few stray scraps that trailed off behind it at times. Nagato and Konan in the darkness within, preparing themselves for the next stage of their plan.

"How does it feel to return your eyes to their true home, Nagato?" Konan asked.

"It only increases my pain, but of course it's always darkest before the dawn," Nagato replied. "However, I am very much looking forward to meeting my spiritual brother. How long until we get there?"

Konan paused for a moment to communicate with her ever-shifting cloud fortress, an extension of her own body at this point. "It should take us a couple more days to float our way to the temple. I'm sure we'll find him there."

"Let's hope so, a family reunion sounds nice. Please wait for me with open arms, Avatar."

The paper cloud sailed on.

– – – – – – –

**Azula has come to play a game with Konoha? Pain wants to meet his 'spiritual brother,' Aang? What does it all mean? Where are the pairings? Where's Sasuke / Naruto / Aang / Sakura / Shika anyway?**

**You'll have to comment and keep reading if you want to find out ^_^**


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